alps vs RainLoop
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted mail servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
alps
Simple and extensible web-based email client
VS
RainLoop
Simple, modern and fast web-based email client
| Feature | alps | RainLoop |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mail Servers | Mail Servers |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 700 | ★ 4,120 |
| First released | 2020 | 2013 |
| Replaces | Gmail | Gmail, Outlook Web |
Why pick each one
Choose alps if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Written in Go
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Choose RainLoop if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4.1k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is alps or RainLoop better?
RainLoop is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider alps if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are alps and RainLoop free and open-source?
Yes. alps is licensed under MIT and RainLoop under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run alps and RainLoop with Docker?
alps: check the project docs for container support. RainLoop: yes.